Customers help CPS save energy

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Updated 12:01 am, Monday, August 22, 2011

Demand response, which is aimed at large commercial and institutional customers, together with CPS’ Peak Saver thermostat program for residential customers, save the utility between 80 and 90 megawatts a day on the hottest days of the summer — enough power for more than 16,000 households.

Grid operator avoids rolling blackouts

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Updated 6:50 pm, Thursday, August 4, 2011

At one point during the afternoon, grid operator ERCOT — the Electric Reliability Council of Texas — warned there was a “high probability” of rolling blackouts.

Yet if the scorching weather should prompt ERCOT to call for wider rolling blackouts in the coming days, CPS and other utilities connected to the grid would be required to comply — and within 15 minutes, CPS spokeswoman Christine Patmon said.

CPS would not cut power to critical customers, such as hospitals and emergency services handled by the fire and police departments, she said, but residential customers would be affected.

Every degree a person lowers the thermostat below 78 adds an additional 7 to 10 percent to their electric bill as well as additional stress to the power grid.

State faces electricity shortage today

Texas is in danger of running short of electricity today and is asking residents and businesses to cut their power use from 3 to 7 p.m., the peak hours for demand. “We are expecting the statewide power supplies to be very tight over peak today, primarily due to the forecast for continued temperature extremes which causes higher than normal electricity use, and because of unexpected unit outages,” said Kent Saathoff, vice president of grid operations and system planning for ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Shut off all unnecessary lights, appliances and electronic equipment, such as cable boxes and computers,

Castro aims to learn much from Israel

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Updated 1:18 am, Sunday, July 10, 2011

Mayor Julián Castro is expected to arrive in Israel this morning, leading a delegation of San Antonio business, utility and Jewish community leaders on his first trip to the Holy Land.